Cable mulling options at left guard

When Robert Gallery missed a series with a back injury in the opener and then went down with a broken left fibula against the Chiefs Sunday, the solution was the same.

Move center Chris Morris to left guard and put Samson Satele at center.

Gallery, Cable said, will be out four to six weeks after having surgery Monday (or possibly sooner if he’s a fast healer).

“He’s a great player and hopefully he has a quick surgery and gets back,” Morris said.

Gallery has started the last 34 games for the Raiders at left guard and made 36 consecutive starts. The only time in his career he didn’t play 16 games was in 2006 when he had a groin strain, a calf injury and an elbow dislocation and missed six games.

With Gallery out, Cable wouldn’t commit to making the same Morris/Satele move made in Weeks 1 and 2.

“I want to sit down and really think that through this evening and tomorrow and make a good call,” Cable said. “We’ve got to look at it like the plan to fix the next month where we can be productive that way. That may be the right way to do it. I just want to make sure as I look at the big picture.”

Cable said other options include Erik Pears, Khalif Barnes or Paul McQuistan at left guard, with Morris remaining at center.

More news, notes and quotes:

— Cable said game balls were awarded to kickers Shane Lechler and Sebastian Janikowski, safety Michael Huff, defensive end Greg Ellis and long snapper Jon Condo.

“Our two kickers, in my opinion, they put this team on their back and carried us yesterday,” Cable said.

Janikowski kicked field goals of 48 and 54 yards and was 4-for-4 recording touchbacks on kickoffs, meaning the Chiefs opened every drive at their own 20 after a kickoff. Lechler averaged an incredible 56.9 yards on seven punts with a long of 70 yards and a net of 45.9.

Correcting an error I made yesterday, Janikowski is 23-for-26 for his career at Arrowhead Stadium. He missed two field goal attempts in his first game at Kansas City _ winning it with a last-second field goal _ and then had one blocked in 2002. He has made his last 17 field goal attempts in Kansas City.

On Oakland’s first two three-and-outs, Lechler had punts of 66 and 70 yards, putting the Chiefs back at their own 16 and then their own 21.

“I thought he single-handedly changed field position by himself,” Cable said.

— Cable wanted the offense to take a hard look at the issues in the passing game which resulted in JaMarcus Russell going 3-for-17 going into the final drive.

“We each have to do, in my opinion, a lot more work,” Cable said. We have to invest a lot more time in what we’re doing every day on our own with our books, and note taking, and film watching, and all those things because I think it has to get so ingrained in your mind that failure is not an option.”

That includes Russell, of course, but is not exclusive to Russell.

“I think that he’s just part of everyone on offense,” Cable said. “This entire offense has got to do that.”

— Doesn’t sound as if there’s much of a chance Chaz Schilens will come to the rescue of the passing game this week.

“I would say very, very little, although he is out of the boot and moving around,” Cable said. “As we talked about last week, he’ll do a little more this week. But, as they told me Thursday, we’ll see.”

— Cable said Johnnie Lee Higgins shoulder sprain was improving and that he would be “questionable” for this week, while safety Hiram Eugene is also questionable with a lower leg strain outside his calf.

Although Eugene’s injury could mean a return to the starting lineup for Huff, Cable said he would be inclined to leave things the way they are if Eugene is healthy. Huff has intercepted three passes in two games and had a breakup on the game’s final play.

“I don’t think there is any reason to change it or do anything crazy like that,” Cable said. “If we had to due to injury that’s one thing, but I think we’re right where we need to be in regards to that.”

— Cable, who benched Huff last season in place of Eugene, said he never got any sense of bitterness or bad attitude after he made the decision.

“Michael Huff is a man’s man,” Cable said. “You don’t get any baloney from a guy like Mike. He’s what you are supposed to be about.”

— The NFL Network’s Deion Sanders had this to say about Huff on the air: “It takes some players a little time to mature in this game and understand what the NFL is all about. He has now hit that point of maturity.”

— A week after catching six passes for 69 yards, tight end Zach Miller was blanked against Kansas City. It was his first game without a reception since Week 3 last season in Buffalo.

“They were paying extra attention to me, a little bit of bracket coverage, making sure a guy was trying to jam me or wall me, that kind of thing,” Miller said. “They made sure that I wasn’t too involved.”

— Richard Seymour, moved up and down the line at different points in the game, was not as conspicuous as he was in his debut against San Diego, but Cable felt he was still very effective.

“He played very well again. Did he have the sacks and all that? No. But it was probably the reason Greg Ellis got a couple, it’s the reason some other guys made the plays they did,” Cable said. “We said when we got him that he had been exposed to a lot of football in his career and so it’s nice to have a guy like that on your team. Tight ends really struggled to block him.”

— Ellis has three sacks in two games _ three more than the Dallas Cowboys have in two games. The Cowboys released Ellis in the offseason.

Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer

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I wonder if Al would consider hiring David Lee as OC. He worked with McFadden at Arkansas, was the guy who turned him into the beast that he was in the SEC, and he is currently the QB coach at Miami, so it would be a promotion for him. Seems like a good fit for a team, that needs much more creativity in the play-calling, but no more egos in the room.

4evaRaider

my lap-top clock is 4:20 AGAIN.Sorry Thec,I tryin 2 answer you,I wouldnt ignore you but this computer clock is diffrent than Ibaba,I guess.So now I wait 2 post this and hope you are still there =)

Charlie

I would suggest some rollouts for JR next week.
Passing out of the two TE formation with Bush and McFadden in the backfield would be interesting as well.

Teams are obviously trying to take away Miller and the run.

DHB/Murphy will continue to improve but they are still making mistakes. Passing to WR will be a low probability option until the young guys get better and Chaz returns.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skew-t/166654980/ BART Bridge Blues

Is it too early to talk 2010 draft? I really like the youth movement on this team, but as I watch on Saturdays, I can’t help but notice players that might interest Al and Cable.

I know it would seem like a bad choice, considering our crowded backfield, but I have to believe that Al is looking at Jahvid Best real hard. 1. Track Star 2. Local kid from Oaktown 3. Runs behind the zone system put in place by our current line coach 4. potential Heisman candidate 5. Cal player. What’s not to like?

… I am thinking he aint coming out until 2011, but I am still excited about Jake Locker. We know, both Al and Cable seem to like the Washington players, and Al is a fan of Sarkisian. Would love to see the Raiders get Locker as an insurance policy against Russell.

…and finally the most obvious choice of all, if we are stuck in the top 10 again, I am almost certain that Al selects Taylor Mays if he is still there.

I think if JaMarcus can hit the intermediate well, and get the run going so that we can effectively use PA, we can get away with the deep shots, if nothing else than to keep Denver’s D honest.

Let’s not get crazy, here, Cable. This is a big game and we can’t afford another 7/24 effort, as I don’t think we’ll continue getting opportunities to win the game with 2.00 left every week.

4evaRaider

Iba clock=8:23

My clock=11:16

7 minutes from calli 2 florida,I guess

4evaRaider

408

Charlie

2010

Draft for lines!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UP LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER

imho

i think jamarcuss needs a qb coach/life coach

he should live with rich gannon 24 hours a day for 2 years he should have to face him when he comes of the field he should have to face him when hes ordering his second plate of chimichangas etc….. i think the kid needs a little tough love

weaselbit

The NFL is full of teams who were dominated the entire game but still won because they played well when it counted.

Finally, the Raiders are one of those teams.

Back when they were good, they used to do that all the time.

Remember, “Just win Baby!”

weaselbit

Huff should teach JR how to watch film.

angelodebo

I know I’m comparing apples and sausages. But to you all you Russel backers out there who say “the receivers are young..the running backs are young..thats why he looks so bad”

Well Peyton manning played and won last night with 2 starting rookie wide receivers and a rookie RB. They didn’t seem to have any problems. And yes Dallas Clark is a veteran..but if Zach Miller had a good QB like Manning, I’m positive he would have monster games too.

Bottom line..Manning can play with rookies and succeed. JRuss plays with rookies and looks like the worst QB ever under center.

I know its apples and sausages. But I hate all these excuses for Russel, when a good QB succeeds no matter what the issues!

weaselbit

JR will come around, if only because he doesn’t want people making fun of him.

weaselbit

Jets being investigated for tampering with craptree.

hellsbells

If Eugene cant go wonder if Mitchell can play on the running downs. Could be a good way to gat his feet wet. Also some big hits fire up the defense.

Teabag

All the “I wanted Chris Johnson” talk is dead….

Why?

Because no matter HOW you slice it, he was not a #4 pick… Not even AL could justify drafting Johnson @ #4.. Do you think if he could, he wouldn’t have?? CJ ran a 4.28 at the combine, at any spot past #8 that is a automatic AL Davis pick. I really can’t stand when people use hindsight and the “I Told You So” attitude in regards to the draft. At the time, NOBODY except maybe Mike Mayock questioned the McFadden pick. You know who his preference was?? Rashard Mendenhall.. Yep, I TOLD YOU SO!!

Face it, if the Raiders didn’t pick McFadden.. He was gone @ #5 to the Jets. And if he didn’t go to the Jets there was 27 teams lining up behind them to take him.

4evaRaider

you’re right…apples and sausages…

P.Manning=10 years nfl experiance???

Jmac=3 years ex.

you do the math

angelodebo

Regardless..about experience..

Tom Brady 2nd year starting produced with no name receivers as well. He had big years with deon branch and david givens (who? thats what i mean)

Good QBs make recievers good..not the opposite way around..

4evaRaider

theres a new post in town

Florida Pete

angelodebo Says:
September 22nd, 2009 at 8:43 am
I know I’m comparing apples and sausages. But to you all you Russel backers out there who say “the receivers are young..the running backs are young..thats why he looks so bad”

Well Peyton manning played and won last night with 2 starting rookie wide receivers and a rookie RB. They didn’t seem to have any problems. And yes Dallas Clark is a veteran..but if Zach Miller had a good QB like Manning, I’m positive he would have monster games too.

Bottom line..Manning can play with rookies and succeed. JRuss plays with rookies and looks like the worst QB ever under center.

I know its apples and sausages. But I hate all these excuses for Russel, when a good QB succeeds no matter what the issues!

For all the Russell haters. He does care and he does want to win. He’s committed, just not what you are used to.

DownTheBayMOG

“When JRussell was QB at LSU, everyone in the SEC knew that he was deficient betweent he ears, and honestly, he only played well his last season capped by an incredible Sugar Bowl where LSU’s super-strong, super-fast D made Quin look average, and conversely the Slow Irish made JRussell look great.

Aside from being inaccurate, he is toxic to the rythm of the offense. Watch him execute handoffs, or move in and around the pocket, or whatever, he “lolly-gags”. Seriously, there is no sense of urgency or crispness to anything he does, and a QB must be precise to sell fakes and outsmart defenders. Basically, the guy has a multi-million dollar cannon without the technological advances to hit a moving target.

He is a bust, because he is so bad at so many detail s of the position. The NFL is a QB league first and foremost, and JRussell just doesn’t have it to consistently lead a team. Now that I am a Raiders fan, I hope he proves me wrong!”

So, is that why he soundly beat Arkansas every year they played LSU, because he was deficient between the ears? You don’t go 25-4 in the SEC being deficient between the ears. Pounded Bama every year with Joe Kines defense, beat UF after the team turned the ball over 5 times, beat Tenn with a concussion yet he was deficient between the ears. Then beat ND in the sugarbowl by audibling out of 70% of the plays that were called. There is a reason that SEC coordinators gameplanned for the guy, he was good and he was the best QB in the SEC when he was the starter at LSU- if he wasn’t, tell me who was? Stafford? Croyle? Cutler? You name anyone who played around the same time that he did and none of them was better than Russell.

You could say that about just about any QB in the NFL right now, that they didn’t have it when they first began. Drew Brees didn’t have it, Rivers didn’t have it, Roethlisberger didn’t have it- go down the list, they got better as time passed.

You think the guy is a bust because IN YOUR OPINION, he lollygags on plays? I would be willing to bet that you couldn’t even execute a handoff. Stop splitting hairs, he does his job- I mean really, what does how he “looks” handing the ball off have to do with if the back gains 5 yards of one yard? The guy is our QB, and he will be our QB. Don’t trash him to build up DMAC. THey are both young and will both get better with time.